Covert photography has been an important part of intelligence gathering for decades. It can mean taking pictures in the open when others cannot tell pictures are being taken (such as from a concealed camera) or taking pictures from afar using sophisticated photographic equipment (or even spy satellites).
The present invention is directed to two different, but related, types of covert photography.
First, the present invention addresses the situation where a structure conceals what is being done but there is an opening through which viewing and/or photography can take place.
Second, the present invention addresses the situation where a wide-angle photograph is desired, but it is not desirable to have expensive (and obvious) wide-angle lenses. Such a situation might arise when an operative is in a foreign venue or a venue where having such equipment, especially if the operative is near a sensitive military base or other location, might arouse suspicion or attract unwanted attention, especially if one has to go through a checkpoint or customs. In this situation, part of being covert is the ability to create needed equipment from common materials that will not arouse suspicion.